Unilateral ear fullness and temporary hearing loss diagnosed and successfully managed as a temporomandibular disorder: a case report.

Background And Overview: A 73-year-old woman had a 4-month history of debilitating left-sided otic fullness, hearing loss, and a watery sensation in her ear without obvious cause. She had consulted with an otolaryngologist who cleared the ear of all middle ear pathology and then placed ventilation tubes in the tympanic membrane to relieve her symptoms of ear fullness. The ventilation tubes did not produce long-lasting relief so she was referred to the dental clinic.

Cementoblast response to low- and high-intensity ultrasound.

Objective: It has been shown that ultrasound stimulation accelerates repair of orthodontically induced root resorption. However, the mechanism of such adaptive change is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pulsed ultrasound on the differentiation-potential and cementoblast-mediated osteoclastogenesis using a cementoblastic cell line.

Dynamic shear properties of the porcine molar periodontal ligament.

The role of the periodontal ligament (PDL) is to support the tooth during function and resist external forces applied to it. The dominant vertical component of these forces is associated with shear in the PDL. Little information, however, is available on the dynamic behavior of the PDL in shear.

The effect of removal of the disc on the friction in the temporomandibular joint.

Purpose: The amount of friction in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is dependent on the joint components, including the synovial fluid, disc, and articular surface cartilage. As friction in the TMJ is less than in other (discless) joints, we hypothesized that this is caused by the presence of the disc.

Materials And Methods: The frictional coefficient of the TMJ was first measured in the intact porcine joint (n = 10).

Effects of ultrasound on cementoblast metabolism in vitro.

Ultrasound (US) has been shown to alter cell/tissue functions. However the effects of US on cementoblasts are not known. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of US exposure on proliferation and metabolism of cementoblast (murine cementoblastic cell line [OCCM-30]) in vitro.

Severe crowding and a dilacerated maxillary central incisor in an adolescent.

This study reports the treatment of an adolescent patient with dilacerated maxillary incisor. She complained of severe crowding with a high-positioned left upper canine. Her left central incisor had been impacted and moved to proper position at the age of eight years, resulting in a severe root dilaceration.

Platelet-derived growth factor enhances proliferation and matrix synthesis of temporomandibular joint disc-derived cells.

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is an essential signaling molecule for wound healing and tissue repair. This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of PDGF on the proliferation of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc-derived cells and extracellular matrix synthesis. The number of cultured cells were counted by COULTER Z1.

Fibroblast growth factor-2 augments recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2-induced osteoinductive activity.

The osteoinductive activity induced by recombinant human BMP-2 (rhBMP-2) blunts proportionately as the recipient ages. In order to compensate for this bluntness administration of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) has been considered. The aim of this study was to determine whether FGF-2 administration augments osteoinductive activity caused by rhBMP-2 and to evaluate the effect of aging on bone formation induced by coadministration of rhBMP-2 and FGF-2.

Age-associated changes in viscoelastic properties of the bovine temporomandibular joint disc.

To test the hypothesis that compressive properties of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc change with age, we investigated its viscoelastic properties and stress-relaxation behavior under compression. Compressive stress-relaxation tests were performed in different regions of bovine discs of various ages. For each disc, specimens were derived from three different regions (anterior, central, and posterior).

The effect of experimental cartilage damage and impairment and restoration of synovial lubrication on friction in the temporomandibular joint.

Aims: To evaluate how the frictional coefficient of the porcine temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is affected by an impairment of the synovial lubrication produced by an experimental abrasion of the articular cartilage and the application of hyaluronic acid (HA) with different molecular weights to the abraded cartilage surfaces.

Methods: Erosion of the articular cartilage was produced by scouring it with sandpaper. Impairment and restoration of synovial lubrication were modeled by washing the joint space with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and by the application of HA with different molecular weights.

An adult case of skeletal open bite with a large lower anterior facial height.

Control of the height of posterior dentoalveolar regions is of great importance for the correction of skeletal open bite. Traditionally, second premolar extraction facilitates the closure of open bite by inducing a counterclockwise mandibular rotation without molar intrusion. This article reports treatment for a 24-year six-month-old female patient with an open bite and large anterior facial height.

Longitudinal measurements of tooth mobility during orthodontic treatment using a periotest.

The present study was designed to investigate the alteration of tooth mobility through orthodontic treatment using a Periotest. Eighty-three crowding cases without severe skeletal discrepancies were used as subjects. For each subject, the mobility of the central and lateral incisors on both arches (U1, U2, L1, and L2) was measured immediately before and after orthodontic treatment (T1 and T2 stages) and after retention (T3 stage) by use of a Periotest.